Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-18
REFORM. NOT REVENGE.

THE GAZETTE has been favored with
the report of the managers of the New
York State Reformatories for the year
1886, transmitted to the Legislature of
New York in January last. It is a pam
phlet of seventy pages, the greater por-
ton of the information being tabulated
and arranged in q concise and convenient
form. The State Reformatory of New
York has been in operation for eleven
years, and is now one of the most popu-
lar institutions of that commonwealth.
It's humane treatment of prisoners and
laudabIe efforts to reform the erring in
stead of merely Furnishing the delinquent,
are well worthy of consideration by the
statesmen of Texas, IS they are being
considered by other states; and, the early
adoption of the plan of reform in opera
ton in New York cannot be hastened too
much. The pamphlet contains the re-
port of the board of managers, the
Notwithstanding financial
and statistical report; of the secretary
Of the school, of the physician and of
experimental cases where artificial and
scientific methods were pursued to arouse
cerebral activity and general physical i'm
provement IN dull minds and heavy
bodies which were ordinarily esteemed
incorrigible. The cost of the institution
is 81 ,158, 705, of which was expended for
additions in 1886, S132,9 The cost of
maintenance of the inmates over the
earnings of the institution tor the five
years ending in 1886, was an average of
$4,000 per annum or 80 per cent. The
inmates earned 1851, 1884 ,or 20 per cent of
the expense of their keeping. This is not q
reformetory for juvenile criminals merely;
it deals with all those who are not hope
lessly lost to all sense of moral obliga-
lions and considerations of good citizen
ship. The success of the institution is es-
tablished beyond all peradventure by the
facts as compiled, and in the experience
of ten years. OF the number committed
to the reform prison a few are detained
indefinitely, but the great majority OF
them are liberated, after being taught the
duties and responsibilities Of citizenship,
and, of those so liberated $40 per cent.
make good citizens and useful members
of society. In the year 1886 these
figures were increased to 848 per cent.
The system of sentences recommended by
the board of management is calculated to
inspire these unfortuRates with a desire
to reform. The law as it now stands
gives the managers power to exercise
considerable discretion, but a greater
latitude, they believe, should be given.
Indefinite sentence, conditional release,
parole release and the mark system are
features to be embodied in the new law
to be asked for. These systems have
been recommended by very high authority
in this country. The Michigan Bureau
of Labor says: "We trust the day is
not far distant when criminal justice
shall be administered upon the principle
that the end of the penalties is to reclaim
the criminal, and that no offender has
right to be restored to society until he
shows that he is ready to respects its
laws" This is the theary upon which
the New York reformatories have grown
up, and it is not only plausible but just
and humane. That society has the right
to remove from its midst any one who
grossly sins against its laws, for its own
protection primarily, is question that
will not be disputed; the punishment of
the offender is merely an incident. If
then society has right to lncarcerate
any one unworthy to remain member,
it is utter nonsense in society
to expect that member to have improved
during his imprisonment in the ordinary
penitentisry or that he shall come out
shy better qualified to remain in society
than when he went in. Is it not clearly
the duty of society, then, to not only free
itself from the presence Of unworthy
members, but also to aid and encourage
those culprits to reform, and learn to
become useful members? There are
some, comparatively few, whose mental